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But the price tags did not reveal the lower prices in between - meaning Christmas shoppers were unaware whether they were receiving a true reduction in price.

Lee Reynolds, prosecuting the case on behalf of Torfaen Council, told Newport Magistrates' Court that five months earlier in April 2015, the City of Westminster Council had written to House of Fraser in response to a complaint about their pricing of handbags, saying they were not following pricing practices guidelines.

'Should have been guarded against'

District Judge Martin Brown, sentencing the company, said consumer protection should be at the forefront of the company’s principles.

"It may seem to some to be a rather trivial affair, but this is a large retailer in whom the public consider they can place their trust. This business practice is one that a company of this standing should have been painstakingly guarding against," he said.

He accepted the company had no previous convictions for these offences and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Councillor Gwyneira Clark, Torfaen’s executive member for planning and public protection, said: “Shoppers have a legal right to expect items on display for sale, both in store and online, to be correctly described and priced.

'Clear warning'

"We’ve seen many cases now locally and nationally where retailers are misleading people with their sales promotions.

“This case sends a clear warning to them that our trading standards officers will act in the interests of our residents to crackdown on those who fail to adhere to government guidelines and consumer protection legislation.”

The company pleaded guilty to eight offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

They were fined £40,000, ordered to pay £8,501 in costs and a £120 surcharge.

'Clear and transparent'

A House of Fraser spokesperson said: "“On 29 November 2016, House of Fraser accepted certain charges brought by Torfaen County Borough Council for misleading price information relating to the sale of a small range of Christmas decorations in 2015.

"At House of Fraser, we are committed to giving our customers great value through price offers and our policy is always to be clear and transparent to ensure that our customers are able to make informed decisions. We regret that on this occasion we did not meet our own high standards.

"Although, the charges related to only a very small selection of products, we have taken additional steps to further enhance our procedures going forward. House of Fraser will continue to work hard to provide our customers with great offers to ensure that our customers receive a premium and rewarding shopping experience."